Karayilan shaking hands with PKK fighters

Murat Karayilan, the commander of the guerrilla forces of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party made important statements about the upcoming period. The People’s Defence Forces (HPG) Central Headquarters commander Karayilan said, “A historic spring period has begun. We are obliged to succeed. Our objective is clear: Freedom for our leader (Öcalan), Autonomous Kurdistan, Democratic Turkey.”

Speaking on the 30th anniversary of the death of Mahsum Korkmaz (Egid), one of the PKK's first commanders and architect of the 'first bullet' against the Turkish state, Karayilan communicated via long-distance radio with guerrilla fighters in Iraqi (South) Kurdistan and southeast Turkey (North Kurdistan) and said, “Comrade Egid began his historic march on 15 August 1984 with 32 comrades; today he has tens of thousands of soldiers walking in his footsteps. The war since then has meant that Turkish colonialism founded on denial, a monist mentality and assimilation has been defeated.”

“Just like Kenan Evren (junta leader of 1980), who said he would defeat the guerrilla struggle within 72 hours and couldn’t, Erdogan’s efforts have also remained inconclusive and will be defeated,” stated Karayilan.

Below is a summary of Karayilan’s speech:

They couldn’t achieve their aims

The AKP expected the resistance in the cities to be defeated within a month, however after 7 months the fire of resistance continues burning. Using ‘public order’ as a pretext the Turkish state’s plan was to take control in the cities, attack, degrade and weaken us in the mountains and weaken our forces in Shengal. Their aim was for us to greet spring in a weak, collapsed, stuck state. But they couldn’t achieve this.

They were also planning on besieging Rojava diplomatically. Again they were unsuccessful, conversely the Rojava Revolution strengthened and grew and finally joined with the peoples of Syria to form the Northern Syria Federation.

They are afraid because they are guilty

The AKP has been unsuccessful diplomatically, military operations against guerrilla forces have not produced the desired results and the people’s message of resistance at Newroz (Kurdish New Year) together with the continuing struggles in the cities have scared the AKP. Those who were making plans last year to get us to kneel before them are now constantly reiterating, ‘we are not going to collapse’ and ‘we are not afraid.’ But faced with the reality of Kurdistan they are afraid. We know you (AKP) are afraid. Because you are committing crimes and are guilty. You burned civilians in Cizre. You destroyed Kurdish cities with tanks and shelling. You are afraid because these are crimes against humanity.

We warned them but they did not listen

We warned them on 14 December 2015 when the army intervened against the urban resistance: we said, “don’t turn cities into areas of war, if the army intervenes so will the guerrilla (HPG) forces.” But they didn’t listen to us. They attacked youths carrying Kalashnikovs and shotguns with tanks. They engaged in a style of war that is cowardly. But in Sur and Cizre these colonialist attacks were met with courage and historic resistance.

Now we have entered spring; guerrilla forces need to support (the urban resistance). The HPG must now intervene from the mountains and support the Kurdish youths who organised as the Civilian Defence Units (YPS) and mounted a legitimate, civilian self-defence resistance. Our people expect this from us.

Attack on Mermer was the first step

In this sense the attack on the Mermer Gendarmerie Station was a successful first step. The HPG needs to intervene from the mountains and develop solidarity with the urban resistance. The areas of resistance must be supported against those who attacked demands for an autonomous Kurdistan with tanks and shells.

There is only one way for a solution.

Turkish state officials need to know that they have no chance of winning this war. Now cities, mountains and plains are sites of resistance. They need to see and accept this. There is only one thing for them to do, rather than killing Turkish and Kurdish youths to consolidate Erdogan’s power, they need to come back to a solution. And there is only way for this: To accept our leader Öcalan’s freedom and Kurdistan’s autonomy. This is the only way.

Our objective is clear, we are obliged to succeed

A historic spring period has begun. We are entering this period with great opportunities. We are obliged to succeed. Our objective is clear: “Freedom for our leader, Autonomous Kurdistan, Democratic Turkey.”

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